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Christopher Groesbeck, AIA LEED AP

VOA Associate Incorporated

"When I attended the school it had a diverse curriculum in Design, History, Construction, Technology and a great fourth year study in Versailles. We were blessed with inspiring teachers and opportunities and we embraced the global nature of our profession from a very early age. The design culture of the graduate studios was outstanding and there was very little transition necessary to start professional practice. The School was also very flexible in allowing me independent study opportunities in Rome during the second year in Graduate school. In the end it was the inspiration of the whole experience, coursework, teachers, students and the opportunities to expand our horizons which made the University of Illinois a significant step in my life."

Christopher L. Groesbeck AIA, LEED AP, NCARB

VOA Associates IncorporatedPROFILE: VOA Associates Incorporated, founded in 1969, is an international design firm headquartered w in Chicago, Illinois with offices in New York, New York; Orlando, Florida; Washington DC; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Beijing, China. The foundation of the firm resume is projects with Institutions of Government, Higher Education, Health Care, Finance and Fortune 500 Companies. Over its 40 year history the firm has engaged in holistic integrated design approach embracing the collaboration of the disciplines of planning, architecture, interior design and landscape design. Our work internationally has focused on the planning and design of high density districts within cities, new towns and destination hospitality projects of an unprecedented scale. The work of VOA Associates Inc. demonstrates an understanding of the nature of Institutions and their importance to the sustaining of the economic, environmental, social and cultural values of their communities. They are symbolic of our higher missions and purpose. Our work focuses on the integration and connection between the room, building, site and context of the street, neighborhood and city. Institutions must respond, unite and improve their particular context and sometimes create a context which allows for positive growth for the community. Our work with Institutions in Chicago have been evidence to this; Navy Pier, McCormick Place, the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Campus and the just completed Roosevelt University Tower have defined the nature of Chicago in our time and have reinforced the vision of the landmark Burnham Plan whose focus has been and continues to be on the importance of the Institution in defining and sustaining the values and culture of the City.

KEY PROJECTS:Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, Illinois - Complete renovation and rehabilitation of 4,000 seat theater including sound, lighting, acoustics, seating and appearance where the theater was completely rebuilt and reshaped to enhance the performance of the hall.

Roosevelt University Student Life, Academic, and Residence Center, Chicago, Illinois, - 420,000 SF ,32 story expansion of Roosevelt University’s Chicago campus that includes Students Services, Student Union, Academic core of lecture Halls, multipurpose class rooms and science laboratories, University administration and 632 beds of Student residential. The expansion interconnects with the landmark Auditorium Building and provides much needed practice facilities for the Auditorium Theater.

Deublin Headquarters: Dalian, China,- Master planning, architecture design and Interior Design for new 150,000 gsf facility with a manufacturing hall designed to create clear space for flexibility for robotic machinery used for the making of parts for the rotating unions. The facility also has a two level office and conference facility which will be used for all of their Asian and pacific operations as well as onsite employee amenities.

Lexington Park Mixed Use Complex, Chicago, Illinois,- 550,000 GSF mixed use complex of retail, loft and high end residential with 500 cars of parking at critical site bridging the McCormick place Complex and the South loop residential development. Project features 6 story loft residential that address the scale of South Michigan Boulevard with a 36 story high end residential tower that addresses the regional scale of McCormick place with unobstructed views of Lake Michigan.

Beijing High End Manufacturing Base Research Institute, Beijing, China – New 1.2 million GSF National laboratory devoted to new Material Research and Development. Located in the Beijing Science and Technology Park the project will include on site residential and life amenities to serve the scientists and their families.

RECRUITING ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS:

"Our choice in hiring graduates from the University of Illinois is based on the comprehensiveness of their education, their ability to study abroad and their strong ability to communicate visually design with a solid background in technical studies."

We look for independent thinkers who have the understanding of the meaning of collaboration and understand that when you enter practice that your education is continuing and the same with being at University that your skills must be continually improved to address the many challenges that architecture and planning face today.